LETTER RE: Postmarketing adverse drug reactions: A duty to report?

We read with interest the article by Klein and Bourdette,¹ which highlights the ethical issues pertaining to adverse drug reactions. We agree that adverse reactions should be communicated to the manufacturer of the drug in question. However, sometimes the manufacturer will defer blame to an aspect of drug dispensing or concurrent drug use, so this is only the first avenue of recourse. It is also important to report adverse effects in a reputable and widely distributed medical journal. Unfortunately, case reports are being given less and less import in many of these journals. Case reports are seen as not novel, simply confirmative, and less interesting to readers. Let us not forget that our knowledge of neurology is fashioned case by case.

Disclosures: The authors report no disclosures

Reference

1. Klein E, Bourdette D. Postmarketing adverse drug reactions: a duty to report? Neurol Clin Pract 2013;3:288-294.